Printed Batteries To Bring Solar Panels And Energy Storage Together?

An Australian project has set its sights on creating printed batteries that could ultimately be integrated on the back of solar panels.

A collaboration between Printed Energy Pty Ltd, the University of Queensland and the University of New South Wales, the venture recently scored a guernsey in the latest round of Cooperative Research Centre Projects (CRC-Ps) grants; receiving $2 million towards the $12 million project.

Printed Energy says it is developing a unique set of new battery chemistries that can be manufactured using conventional roll-to-roll printing techniques, and it also has patents and IP relating to partially developed printed photovoltaics technology.

The company isn’t providing too much information about the battery chemistries at this stage, but states:

“The key compounds are commonly available metals such as Zinc and Manganese Oxides and inorganic matrix structures mixed with polymers and electrolytes. Most importantly, they are all non-toxic and very low flammability.”

That last point is particularly important if the product is going to be plastered onto the back of a solar panel, where lots of energy is buzzing about very close by and can get rather toasty in normal operation.

Full story here: https://www.solarquotes.com.au/blog/printed-solar-batteries-mb0102/